Page 51 of King of Ruin

It steals the breath from my lungs. Something so soft and tender is a distant memory to me, and now, it invades my every sense.

I want to pull away, to slap him for making my heart thud so viciously, my chest ache so deeply. But every limb is too heavy to move. Too slow to react. It must only last for a half of a second, but it feels like eternity in his bubble before he finally pulls himself away.

“Thank you for sharing that with me.” He turns from my body, allowing the cool breeze to sweep across my burning flesh. I shiver against the brick as I watch him gesture to the limo. “And thank you for tonight. It was a pleasure getting to see you, Boss.”

See me.His choice of words is purposeful, and I hate what it means. Hate that I like it.

Hate that in the end, I found what my parents always wanted me to have, but won’t be able to keep.

When I peel my eyes open, it isn’t the lack of Kane’s body next to mine, nor the moon spilling through the curtains and illuminating the dark grain in the hardwood floor, I find interesting. It’s the steady and soft hum paired with a constant vibration coming from a ball of brown fur. It’s curled into a tight ball, pressed into my thigh, and even through the thick duvet, my skin is warm from its body heat.

My first instinct is to shove the intruder onto the floor and prepare for an attack but then the reality of what it is–or I should say,whoit is–flushes over me like cold water.

He brought me the cat from the alley. The same one who left a scar on my damn shoulder. Part of me wonders if it’s some sick joke, intended to display exactly how alone I really am now, but I know the truth. He wants me to feel. To embrace the pain and acknowledge the hurt.

I still don’t understand why he’s so hell bent on me succumbing to the flames of my demons. Why he wants so badly for me to be reborn from the ashes.

Perhaps he merely wants me weak so he can swoop in and save me from myself.

Or maybe he wants you to let go and move forward.Trulymove forward.

The intrinsic thought settles in the air, making it thick to inhale. Thankfully, I’m not given any time to suffocate on its meaning because a faint knock at the door steals my attention.

It’s too gentle to be Phineas or a guard, and knowing Kane, he’d let himself in. So I take my time, slipping from the bed in a way that doesn’t disturb my guest who has probably never in her life had the luxury of a warm bed.

True to my assumption, she doesn’t move, but her breathing slows. Part of me wonders if she is awake and waiting–listening as I did when I first realized I was captive. Another brush of knuckles at the door draws my attention.

I pad across the room, careful to step quietly over the cold wood floor. When I step near, I hear the fast, stuttered breathing of my visitor, Harlow.

“Miss Embros?” Her whisper is more hushed than necessary. It’s riddled with fear and tears.

I vaguely consider how much she’ll scream when I slit her inner thighs. When I yank her tongue from her jaw and pluck her pretty brown eyes from her skull.

“I know you’re there, please say something.”

“What? Would you like me to tell you all the ways I’m going to torture you?” My voice is low and sultry. I want her to know how good it feels to picture ripping someone apart for the mess I’ve found myself in.

Someone to take my rage.

I only hope Madeline understands why I need to kill Harlow more than she’ll want to.

“I had no choice.”

Rolling my eyes, I trace the molding along the doorframe. “Such a tried and true excuse for our mistakes.”

“It wasn’t a mistake. I–”

“Rather bold of you to come to me, and tell me that killing my entire family wasn’t a mistake.”

“No one is dead. I mean, a few of your guards but your family…” She trails off and I can’t deny the visceral response my body has to her words.

Without any idea of what’s happening outside, I have no idea if they’re still alive. For all I know, they could have died five minutes ago. I’ve been hesitant to ask Kane, too afraid that if he confirmed any of their deaths, I’d succumb to everything. Knowing I saved them all those years ago, just to damn them for my mistakes.

But also knowing that they’re alive has lessened my anger. Made me too docile. Much to my regret, Kane was right when he said I needed the rage to fuel me.

Harlow sighs. “I didn’t think I’d fall in love with her. I didn’t want to. But it was her or my mother. You have to understand. Somewhere deep inside, you must know I didn’t want her to die. It killed me to give him everything.”

“Does Kane know Phineas is your father?”

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